Middelgrunden
Middelgrunden is an offshore wind farm in the Øresund 3.5 km
outside Copenhagen, Denmark. When it was built in 2000, it was the world's largest offshore farm, with 20 turbines and a capacity of 40 MW. The farm delivers about 4% of the power for Copenhagen.
In 1996, the project was initiated by the Copenhagen Environment and Energy Office after Middelgrunden had been listed as a potential site in the Danish Action Plan for Offshore Wind. Together with the CEEO a group of local people formed the Middelgrunden Wind Turbine Cooperative and established a cooperation with Copenhagen Energy, the local electric utility. The proposed location was initially opposed by the Danish Society for Nature Conservation, but this decision was later changed.
Concrete gravity base foundations were chosen as the cheapest option.
This project is an example for community wind energy. It is 50% owned by the 10,000 investors in the Middelgrunden Wind Turbine Cooperative, and 50% by the municipal utility company. Being clearly visible from the capital of Denmark it states the importance of wind power in Denmark.
